Jaipur, Jan 9 (PTI) The spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah Zainul Abedin Ali Khan on Saturday expressed concern over the rise of radical organisations which project themselves as the sole representative of Muslims in the country.

Addressing the heads of various dargahs of the country in a webinar, he said Sufism upholds the highest ideals of Islam and it has always rejected the forces of extremism.

“Radical organisations like the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) are trying to project themselves as the sole representatives of Muslims in the country, and also wish to put into practice a totalitarian strand of Islam in India,” Khan said.

“These organisations are trying to usurp the holy platform of important Sufi dargahs in the country in order to further their ulterior designs,” he said.

The Ajmer Dargah Deewan said such forces are also trying to subvert the teachings of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

“These radical organisations are trying to wipe out the liberal Islamic culture, which encourages free thought and progressive ideas, and replace it with a hard-line puritan Islamic culture alien to India,” he said.

Khan also said that such organisations are utilising social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube to target mostly Muslim youths, and seek to radicalise them with tampered messages of false persecution of Muslims in India and elsewhere.

He called upon the spiritual heads of dargahs to ensure that Muslims are not affiliated with these radical organisations.

“Muslim parents should educate their children well and keep a watch on their activities in this era of digital world. Fake news, doctored videos, radical viewpoints, linking religion with every minor incident and turning it into a big propaganda, are some of the disadvantages of the digital world,” he noted.

The spiritual head also advocated the promotion of Sufism for peace in the country.

The webinar was organised by the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, wherein a four-point resolution against radical organisations and the promotion of Sufism, was also passed.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)